Samantha Power to Leave White House Human Rights Post

Samantha Power, the White House's top human rights official, is leaving her post.

On Monday, the White House said Power would step down from her position as director of the Office of Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights at the National Security Council.

Tommy Vietor, an NSC spokesman, issued a statement saying, "After four years at the White House, Samantha will be leaving the NSC later this month and will spend some well-deserved time with Cass and her two small children, Declan (3) and Rian (eight months). While she is likely to return to the administration, no decisions have been made on her next steps.

Samantha has been a powerful voice in this administration and a long-time friend and adviser to the President. We will miss her at the NSC, and we look forward to continuing the President's work promoting human rights and dignity."

In 2011, Power, 42, was a key figure urging military intervention against Moammar Gadhafi's Libyan regime. She was also named as the first chairwoman of a presidential Atrocities Prevention Board and has been an outspoken advocate, trying to prevent genocide in Rwanda and other parts of the world.